This publication provides population estimates for the states and territories at 31 December 2002. Additional details of these statistics will be published on 5 June 2003 in Australian Demographic Statistics, December Quarter, 2002 (cat. no. 3101.0).

ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION

The preliminary estimated resident population of Australia at December 2002 was 19,786,600 persons. The population increased by 255,100 persons since December 2001 and 59,100 persons since September 2002.

POPULATION GROWTH RATES

During the year ended December 2002 the Australian population grew by 1.3%. Excluding Other Territories, all states and territories, with the exception of the Northern Territory, had positive growth rates, the highest being for Queensland (2.4%) and the lowest for Tasmania (0.5%). The Northern Territory recorded a negative growth rate of 0.1% (or a small loss of 240 persons) in the 12 months ended December 2002.

TABLE 1. ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION AND GROWTH RATES(a)

Population at end of

December Quarter

Change over

2001

2002

previous year

no.

no.

no.

%

New South Wales

6,608,792

6,671,426

62,634

0.9

Victoria

4,836,196

4,902,920

66,724

1.4

Queensland

3,664,284

3,750,543

86,259

2.4

South Australia

1,515,748

1,524,136

8,388

0.6

Western Australia

1,913,850

1,940,485

26,635

1.4

Tasmania

472,116

474,388

2,272

0.5

Northern Territory

197,617

197,374

-243

-0.1

Australian Capital Territory

320,275

322,680

2,405

0.8

Other Territories(b)

2,586

2,618

32

1.2

Australia

19,531,464

19,786,570

255,106

1.3

(a) Data for December 2001 and December 2002 are preliminary and subject to revision.(b) Comprised of Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

TABLE 2. QUARTERLY ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION(a)

New

Australian

At end

South

Queens-

South

Western

Northern

Capital

Aust-

of period

Wales

Victoria

land

Australia

Australia

Tasmania

Territory

Territory

ralia(b)

2000

December

6,527,379

4,770,042

3,592,443

1,508,028

1,887,658

471,416

196,257

316,816

19,272,644

2001

March

6,557,399

4,793,874

3,612,587

1,510,386

1,896,309

471,830

196,905

318,353

19,360,239

June

6,575,217

4,804,726

3,628,946

1,511,728

1,901,159

471,795

197,768

319,317

19,413,240

September

6,594,553

4,821,455

3,646,256

1,513,470

1,907,877

471,604

197,985

319,698

19,475,484

December

6,608,792

4,836,196

3,664,284

1,515,748

1,913,850

472,116

197,617

320,275

19,531,464

2002

March

6,631,006

4,861,263

3,686,253

1,518,621

1,921,583

472,610

197,520

321,540

19,612,987

June

6,640,355

4,872,538

3,707,175

1,520,242

1,927,322

472,725

198,013

321,819

19,662,781

September

6,657,351

4,888,234

3,729,028

1,522,456

1,934,494

473,365

197,724

322,234

19,727,476

December

6,671,426

4,902,920

3,750,543

1,524,136

1,940,485

474,388

197,374

322,680

19,786,570

(a) Data from December Quarter 2000 to June Quarter 2001 inclusive are final. Data from September Quarter 2001 to December Quarter 2002 are preliminary and subject to revision.(b) Includes Other Territories.

TABLE 3. COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE(a)

Components of population change during 2002

ERP at 31

Net

Net

ERP at 31

December

Natural

overseas

interstate

Total

December

2001

Births

Deaths

increase(b)

migration(c)

migration

growth

2002

New South Wales

6,608,792

86,787

47,126

39,661

52,822

-29,849

62,634

6,671,426

Victoria

4,836,196

60,415

33,831

26,584

36,346

3,794

66,724

4,902,920

Queensland

3,664,284

47,784

23,978

23,806

25,904

36,549

86,259

3,750,543

South Australia

1,515,748

17,656

11,845

5,811

4,386

-1,809

8,388

1,524,136

Western Australia

1,913,850

23,635

11,157

12,478

18,160

-4,003

26,635

1,940,485

Tasmania

472,116

6,016

3,982

2,034

505

-267

2,272

474,388

Northern Territory

197,617

3,727

910

2,817

223

-3,283

-243

197,374

Australian Capital

Territory

320,275

4,145

1,324

2,821

716

-1,132

2,405

322,680

Australia(d)

19,531,464

250,219

134,161

116,058

139,048

. .

255,106

19,786,570

. . not applicable(a) All data are preliminary and subject to revision.(b) The excess of births over deaths.(c) Category jumping is set to zero. See paragraph 7 of the Explanatory Notes.(d) Includes Other Territories.

INQUIRIESFor further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070, or Anne Ward on Canberra 02 6252 6296.